Supplement Four
Mongoose
One of the major hassels of the d20 system for the GM is prep time. What this game needs are some aids that minimize pre-game preparation.
What I'd like to see is a book focussed on NPCs.
First, I'd like it to incorporate some sort of NPC engine that would allow me to create detailed NPCs quickly, on the spot, in a game, with full stats. I'm thinking of a few tables and a few quick dice throws when I think of how this engine will work, but I haven't put a lot of thought into it. Maybe there's a better way to do it.
The end result, though, needs to provide a method that a GM can use to throw an NPC together very quickly--something that will be useful to the GM whether he is prepping his game or in need of an NPC suddenly during a game.
The above will be the meat of the book, but I think the book should also include some pre-made, fully statted, NPCs that also includes some like background material about them--say one or two NPCs per page, with illo. All sorts of NPCs will be needed, of all levels, from all over Hyboria.
I used to use a similar supplement when I ran my D6 Star Wars game, and that book was so incredibly useful. I strung together whole campaigns using some of those NPCs.
So, what I'm looking for here are some major personalities, of all levels, classes, and cultures, to put into a game. These will be new characters never before seen in any Conan tale.
Supplement this with a section of nameless NPCs, also fully statted, that can be dropped into a campaign at a moment's notice. I'm talking about generic NPCs here: soldiers, citizens, merchants, thieves, thugs. Set these guys up on a table, not unlike an encounter table for a certain type of terrain--except the terrain will be labeled "wilderness encounters", "city encounters", "Asgard encounters", and the like.
Finally, the book could come to a close with a section on important NPCs to the Hyborian Age--NPCs that have been mentioned in Conan's stories but never before written up in any other Mongoose publication. Various kings and sorcerers could be included. Limited background would be needed for these guys. Instead, a mention to where the character can be found in Conan's literature will be indicated.
Last, but not least, there should be an index listing all the other NPCs ever written up in a Mongoose Conan publication--something GMs can use to look up characters already statted and presented in other works.
The major part of this book (and what makes it useful) is the NPC engine mentioned at the top of this post. THAT'S what will make the book worth buying. That engine should spit out fully statted d20 Conan NPCs in a fraction of the time it takes for a GM to make one himself.
And, I imagine this book being used in two ways: When the GM is prepping a game, or when the GM quickly needs stats for an NPC during a game.
Thoughts, people?
Did I leave anything out?
Will you find this type of book as useful as I would?
What I'd like to see is a book focussed on NPCs.
First, I'd like it to incorporate some sort of NPC engine that would allow me to create detailed NPCs quickly, on the spot, in a game, with full stats. I'm thinking of a few tables and a few quick dice throws when I think of how this engine will work, but I haven't put a lot of thought into it. Maybe there's a better way to do it.
The end result, though, needs to provide a method that a GM can use to throw an NPC together very quickly--something that will be useful to the GM whether he is prepping his game or in need of an NPC suddenly during a game.
The above will be the meat of the book, but I think the book should also include some pre-made, fully statted, NPCs that also includes some like background material about them--say one or two NPCs per page, with illo. All sorts of NPCs will be needed, of all levels, from all over Hyboria.
I used to use a similar supplement when I ran my D6 Star Wars game, and that book was so incredibly useful. I strung together whole campaigns using some of those NPCs.
So, what I'm looking for here are some major personalities, of all levels, classes, and cultures, to put into a game. These will be new characters never before seen in any Conan tale.
Supplement this with a section of nameless NPCs, also fully statted, that can be dropped into a campaign at a moment's notice. I'm talking about generic NPCs here: soldiers, citizens, merchants, thieves, thugs. Set these guys up on a table, not unlike an encounter table for a certain type of terrain--except the terrain will be labeled "wilderness encounters", "city encounters", "Asgard encounters", and the like.
Finally, the book could come to a close with a section on important NPCs to the Hyborian Age--NPCs that have been mentioned in Conan's stories but never before written up in any other Mongoose publication. Various kings and sorcerers could be included. Limited background would be needed for these guys. Instead, a mention to where the character can be found in Conan's literature will be indicated.
Last, but not least, there should be an index listing all the other NPCs ever written up in a Mongoose Conan publication--something GMs can use to look up characters already statted and presented in other works.
The major part of this book (and what makes it useful) is the NPC engine mentioned at the top of this post. THAT'S what will make the book worth buying. That engine should spit out fully statted d20 Conan NPCs in a fraction of the time it takes for a GM to make one himself.
And, I imagine this book being used in two ways: When the GM is prepping a game, or when the GM quickly needs stats for an NPC during a game.
Thoughts, people?
Did I leave anything out?
Will you find this type of book as useful as I would?
